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Principal Machine Learning Engineer Jobs in California

## Senior/Principal Machine Learning EngineerApplyremote type: Flexlocations: USA, CA, Pleasanton: USA ... Engineering, but brighter.**About the Role**As a Senior/Principal Machine Learning Engineer in ...

Principal Machine Learning Engineer

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$155K - $207K/yr

As a Machine Learning Engineer Expert you will be responsible for guiding the team, providing direction and designs and support while also being a hands on developer. The Role: • Work closely with ...

As a Machine Learning Engineer Expert you will be responsible for guiding the team, providing direction and designs and support while also being a hands on developer. The Role: · Work closely with ...

Showing results 21-40

Principal Machine Learning Engineer information

See California salary details

$73K

$145.3K

$209.7K

How much do principal machine learning engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 20, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal machine learning engineer in California is $145,292.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $116,900.00 and $170,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a principal machine learning engineer do?

A Principal Machine Learning Engineer leads the design, development, and deployment of machine learning models and systems. They set technical strategy, mentor engineers, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to solve complex AI challenges. Their role often includes researching new algorithms, optimizing model performance, and ensuring scalability in production environments. Additionally, they work closely with data scientists, software engineers, and product managers to align ML initiatives with business objectives.

What skills and qualifications are needed to thrive as a principal machine learning engineer?

To thrive as a Principal Machine Learning Engineer, you need advanced expertise in machine learning algorithms, statistical analysis, software engineering, and a strong background in computer science or related fields, often supported by a master's or PhD degree. Familiarity with tools such as Python, TensorFlow, PyTorch, cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure), and relevant certifications strengthens technical capability. Leadership, strategic thinking, effective communication, and mentorship are vital soft skills for guiding teams and collaborating across departments. These competencies are essential for driving innovation, ensuring technical excellence, and influencing organizational AI initiatives.

What types of projects and responsibilities can a principal machine learning engineer typically expect?

Principal Machine Learning Engineers are often tasked with leading the design, development, and deployment of large-scale machine learning models and systems that address key business challenges. In this role, you will collaborate closely with data scientists, engineers, and product managers to define project requirements, architect solutions, and ensure high-quality delivery. You may also guide research initiatives, oversee code and model reviews, and mentor junior engineers, helping to shape the technical direction of the team. Typical responsibilities can range from prototyping and optimizing algorithms to ensuring models are scalable, reliable, and aligned with organizational goals.

Is a principal machine learning engineer a high paying job?

A principal machine learning engineer is typically a high-level role with a competitive salary that reflects advanced expertise in machine learning, data science, and software engineering. Salaries often vary based on industry, location, and company size but generally exceed those of mid-level roles due to the experience and leadership responsibilities involved.

What job categories do people searching Principal Machine Learning Engineer jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Principal Machine Learning Engineer jobs in California are:

Infographic showing various Principal Machine Learning Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 80% Full Time, 18% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $145,292 per year, or $69.9 per hour.

Senior/Principal AI Engineer

Workday, Inc.

Pleasanton, CA • On-site

$140 - $180/hr

Other

Re-posted 5 days ago


Workday rating

7.6

Company rating: 7.6 out of 10

Based on 12 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

155th of 245 rated software companies


Job description

## Senior/Principal Machine Learning EngineerApplyremote type: Flexlocations: USA, CA, Pleasanton: USA, WA, Seattletime type: Full Timeposted on: Posted 2 Days Agojob requisition id: JR-0102782**Your work days are brighter here.**We’re obsessed with making hard work pay off, for our people, our customers, and the world around us. As a Fortune 500 company and a leading AI platform for managing people, money, and agents, we’re shaping the future of work so teams can reach their potential and focus on what matters most. The minute you join, you’ll feel it. Not just in the products we build, but in how we show up for each other. Our culture is rooted in integrity, empathy, and shared enthusiasm. We’re in this together, tackling big challenges with bold ideas and genuine care. We look for curious minds and courageous collaborators who bring sun-drenched optimism and drive. Whether you're building smarter solutions, supporting customers, or creating a space where everyone belongs, you’ll do meaningful work with Workmates who’ve got your back. In return, we’ll give you the trust to take risks, the tools to grow, the skills to develop and the support of a company invested in you for the long haul. So, if you want to inspire a brighter work day for everyone, including yourself, you’ve found a match in Workday, and we hope to be a match for you too.**About the Team**Agent Factory is where Workday’s next chapter gets built. We’re forming small, senior, cross-functional AI teams that bring together product leaders, machine learning engineers, and full-stack builders to create intelligent agents used by millions of people every day. This is production-grade AI—deeply embedded into Workday’s platform—not research experiments or maintenance work. Teams own problems end to end, collaborate tightly across disciplines, and use the right tools to solve real customer challenges at global scale. You’ll work at the intersection of AI, platform architecture, and human workflows, with the autonomy to shape how agents reason, act, and scale responsibly. High trust, high expectations, and real impact. Engineering, but brighter.**About the Role**As a Senior/Principal Machine Learning Engineer in Agent Factory, you’ll design and build the core ML systems behind Workday’s next generation of AI agents. Working within a small, senior, cross-functional pod, you’ll own how models, agent logic, and orchestration layers come together in production—across the full lifecycle from problem framing and data strategy to deployment, monitoring, and continuous improvement. You’ll implement and evolve frameworks for LLM-powered agents, including RAG pipelines, workflow orchestration, evaluation, and feedback loops, ensuring solutions are scalable, observable, and enterprise-ready. This role sits at the intersection of ML and platform engineering: partnering closely with software engineers, product managers, and data scientists to integrate agents deeply into the Workday stack. You’ll stay hands-on with emerging techniques in agentic architectures while applying strong engineering judgment to turn them into systems that are reliable, explainable, and built to operate at global scale.**About You****P5, Principal Machine Learning Engineer****Basic Qualifications*** 10+ years experience as a member of a data science, machine learning engineering, or other relevant software development team building applied machine learning products at scale, including taking products through applied research, design, implementation, production, and production-based evaluation* 4+ years of professional experience in machine learning and deep learning frameworks & toolkits such as Pytorch, TensorFlow* 6+ years of professional experience in building services to host machine learning models in production at scale* 3+ years of demonstrated experience working with large language models (LLMs), text generation models, and/or graph neural network models for real-world use cases* 6+ years of proven experience with cloud computing platforms (e.g. AWS, GCP, etc.)* Proven track record of successfully leading, mentoring, and/or managing ML Engineering teams, taking ownership of development lifecycle and sprint planning; fostering a culture of collaboration, transparency, innovation, and continuous improvement* Bachelor’s (Master’s or PhD preferred) degree in engineering, computer science, physics, math or equivalent**P4, Senior Machine Learning Engineer****Basic Qualifications*** 7+ years experience as a member of a data science, machine learning engineering, or other relevant software development team building applied machine learning products at scale, including taking products through applied research, design, implementation, production, and production-based evaluation* 3+ years of professional experience in machine learning and deep learning frameworks & toolkits such as Pytorch, TensorFlow* 4+ years of professional experience in building services to host machine learning models in production at scale* 2+ years of demonstrated experience working with large language models (LLMs), text generation models, and/or graph neural network models for real-world use cases* 4+ years of proven experience with cloud computing platforms (e.g. AWS, GCP, etc.)* Proven track record of successfully leading, mentoring, and/or managing ML Engineering teams, taking ownership of development lifecycle and sprint planning; fostering a culture of collaboration, transparency, innovation, and continuous improvement* Bachelor’s (Master’s or PhD preferred) degree in engineering, computer science, physics, math or equivalent**Other Qualifications:*** Stay up to date with advancements in AI, LLMs, RAG, autonomous agents and orchestration frameworks to drive innovation* Deep understanding of statistical analysis, unsupervised and supervised machine learning algorithms, and natural language processing for information retrieval and/or recommendation system use cases* Professional experience in independently solving ambiguous, open-ended problems and technically leading teams* Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build strong relationships across teams and stakeholders* Proven track record of successfully leading, mentoring, and/or managing ML Engineering teams, taking ownership of development lifecycle and sprint planning; fostering a culture of collaboration, transparency, innovation, and continuous improvement. #J-18808-Ljbffr

What Workday employees say

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Benefits

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About Workday

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Workday's journey began with a transformative idea generated during a breakfast conversation between its founders in sunny California. What set us apart from the start was our people-centric culture, driven by the core value of prioritizing our employees. At Workday, the happiness, growth, and contributions of every team member are at the heart of who we are. Our collaborative and employee-focused culture is the key ingredient for our business success. We not only care for our people but also for the communities and the environment, all while maintaining profitability. Embrace your uniqueness, as we encourage our Workmates to shine brightly in their authentic selves. Our passion and energy make us distinct, and we are inspired to create a brighter workday for everyone.

Industry

Software development

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Pleasanton, CA, US

Year founded

2005